Royal snub: Artist's anger over Monaco's 'superficial' nature
MONACO's glitzy and glamorous society was snubbed by an artist receiving a prestigious award in Monte Carlo, an unearthed documentary has revealed.
Monaco: Anish Kapoor claims 'nothing can be radical'
Monaco is one of the smallest yet richest locations on the planet. Around 30 percent of the principality's population are millionaires. The region, then, has grown a taste for the finer things in life.
Its allure is furthered as Monaco is ruled over by the House of Grimaldi Royal Family, of which Prince Albert II reigns over.
Each year, art galleries and exhibitions are held in the principality, with potential buyers willing to splash vast sums of money on the perfect painting, sculpture or drawing.
Yet, one artist, Anish Kapoor, who attended an awards event to receive a prestigious achievement prize, admitted the amount of money involved has led to a certain opaqueness to Monaco's art life.
He suggested, during the BBC's documentary, 'Inside Monaco, Playground of the Rich', that when such high amounts of money are involved, the art loses its inherent value and almost becomes superficial.
He explained: "In a place that's so much about money, you know, art becomes yet another commodity.
"I think as artists, we have to be wary of how you can both be radical and be in the market.
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"I can't be for sale if it's radical.
"I mean, so, these things are complicated."
When asked if anything in Monaco could be radical, Mr Kapoor said: "Probably not. Probably not."
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The artist-sculptor's relationship with Monaco is deep-rooted.
As a student, Mr Kaporr made regular visits to Monte Carlo with his father.
He described how much Monaco had changed in the space of mere decades.
He said: "My father was a hydrographer, so clean mapmaking, and it used to, I think still does, the headquarters of ocean mapmaking worldwide is here in Monaco.
"So I came here often as an art student and onward.
"Monaco was a very different kind of place.
"It was retiring, quiet, and the money arrived and something happened here.
"I mean something big time happened here, frankly."